This is somewhat cooler temperatures than the race used to in its original late-summer place on the calendar. In 2008 the race was moved from August to May, meaning the race is held in less blazing temperatures than it used to be.

This has helped ease tyre wear concerns at one of the most punishing tracks on the calendar. Drivers will use the soft and hard compounds in this year’s race, the same which were used last year.

Was the 05 race boring? The 06 race? The 07 race? The 08 race? Even the 09 race wasn’t the worst in the world despite Button doing it easy. Turkey is one of the best tracks on the calender; don’t think it’ll be too bad.

Vettel and Webber probably won’t take too much of a fight to each other for fear of knocking themselves and each other out of the race, which of course the team would not be too happy about. Expect whichever driver comes out of the first corner in the lead to be yielded to by his team mate. Here’s hoping Alonso and Rosberg can split the Bulls in qualifying.

I really don’t care if it rains here or not, this is a brilliant track with the beautiful turn 8 (personally I think the greatest corner in F1 right now).

I expect RBR to walk it, Mclaren to be stronger but if Ferrari can qualify ahead then they should get some good points. Ferrari should hopefully have fixed there blown rear wing issue and clawed some more downforce back. Problem is the tyres for Ferrari and especially Massa the former ‘King of Turkey’, he has a good record here but he’s struggled with set up and switching the hard tyre on recently so it’s highly unlikely he’ll give a performance like 06,07 and 08 but it’ll be interesting (for me at least)n to see if he can beat Fernando.

Don’t know why you say tyres will be a problem for Ferrari – the reports back from Bridgestone have been that Ferrari are the lightest team on tyres every race – and unlike McLaren they don’t have a problem warming them up.

Like Brawn last year, McLaren have developed a car with great race pace, good high speed cornering, and problems warming up its tyres. hopefully unlike Brawn they’ll be able to solve the tyre problems.

Great points from you as always Hairs.
I should have been clearer as I meant issues more with switching the tyres on rather than big degradation issues as you’re quite right that the Ferrari seems to be very good at saving tyres. The F10 is meant to work better with the softer compounds, Massa has had problems getting the harder tyre to work for him and getting the right set up for it. Alonso has apparently said something similar but is just doing a better job.

Istanbul Park – despite being a Tilke track, is probably the best modern circuit in the world. It has a bumpy, unforgiving surface, with straights, gradients, fast and slow corners, and at points is over 20m wide, giving different driving styles completely different lines within which to run, and therefore overtake. It is in the heartland of modern F1 – i.e. eastern europe/western asia; and above all the drivers and teams love going there for the varied challenges it provides, and as someone above said, the racing there is normally pretty good.

So why on earth, do FOM insist on such high prices for these circuits to pay to get the race put on? As webber said last year, they should just “open the gates” as many more people would love to see an F1 race, especially at such an interesting track as this, and given how low attendance was last year, and the fact that Turkey doesn’t have a contract in place beyond 2011, who cares if Bernie doesn’t make an extra $5million for ONE weekend… let the fans in, tell them to enjoy themselves, and ensure they throw their empty kofta wrappings at Mr Ecclestone on their way out.

Why doesn’t the world do more to stop him making so much money out of a sport that is basically dying because of a lack of money going into it? Some circuits go bust just trying to get themselves into F1 – and this circuit, having been built pretty much exclusively for F1 just 5 or 6 years ago, is now on the dying list of tracks.. wht happens when we stop going there for F1?? Will it survive as a great track like Spa, Monza etc??? In my eyes it should, as it is definitely one of Europe’s greatest circuits.. but money and Ecclestone dictate otherwise it seems